GDHQNHL15_2pg-Minnesota Wild 2

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teammate. Suter has lived up to
expectations in his first two years
in Minnesota. While his offensive
output took a little dip from year
one to year two in terms of points
per game, Suter doubled his goal
output from four to eight. With 32
points in a strike-shortened season
and 43 points last year, there is no
reason to believe that Wisconsinborn
defensemen will regress. He
will continue to play nearly half
of each game on average during
the season and consistently be matched against the opposing teams’ top
offensive line. Suter stands among the upper-echelon of defensemen in
the league today.
After Suter, the defense lacks offensive punch. One player that has
shown a penchant for putting points on the score sheet is Jared
Spurgeon. The diminutive defensemen has shown improvement in his
end of the ice as his plus/minus rose from +1 in 12-13 to +15 in 13-14. If
Spurgeon can sustain his newfound improvement in the defensive zone,
the Wild will be able to give him some of Suter’s minutes to keep the topnotch
defenseman fresh throughout the year. (84)
Of the players that could push to make the roster, Matt Dumba is the
most impressive name. Dumba was sent back to juniors after 13 games
despite putting up a goal and an assist in his time with the big club. If the
20-year-old can show that his defense has improved, the Wild will not
hesitate to put him in the lineup.
Goaltending
With Josh Harding injured to start the year from a non-hockey
injury and subsequently suspended indefinitely by the team, the
Minnesota Wild have a question mark in goal as they continue forward
without one of the NHL’s better goaltenders. In 29 appearances last
season, Harding had 18 wins, an eye-popping 1.65 goals-against average
and .933 save percentage. (61)
Darcy Kuemper made a name for himself last year after starting 24
games towards the end of the 2013-14 season and in the playoffs before
succumbing to injury. During the regular season, Kuemper put up some
pretty solid numbers for a starting goaltender as he had a 2.43 goalsagainst
average with a .915 save percentage. Those numbers improved
immensely during the playoffs. He shaved nearly a half a goal off his
goals-against average in the playoffs, standing at 2.03 and a consistent
save percentage sitting at .913. Kuemper will probably get the first crack
at the starting job.
Also in the mix is Niklas Backstrom, but he will have to prove he is
over his injury issues. Not only that, but he will have to improve his level
of play after a down year that may have been caused by his injuries.
Power Play
The Wild finished middle of the pack while on the power-play last
season, coming 16th in the NHL with a success rate of 17.9 percent, The
team is hoping to improve on that position, largely due in part to the
addition of Thomas Vanek to the lineup for the upcoming year.
In three different stops in 2013-14, Vanek showed a knack for scoring
on the power-play. With 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) coming while
on the man-advantage, Vanek showed that even without a consistent
set of linemates throughout the year that he could still produce in that
situation. If given a year with the same group of guys, he could improve
upon those numbers. For his career Vanek has nearly 200 points (198) on
the power play, more than one-third of his career point total.
Penalty Kill
The Minnesota Wild penalty kill left a lot to be desired last season.
The Wild killed off only 78.8 percent of the opposition’s chances,
finishing 27th in the NHL in that category. That number labeled the Wild
as one of only five teams in the league to not crack the 80 percent mark.
Part of the reason could be attributed to not having a consistent
goaltender throughout
the season. Another
reason for the team’s
struggles on the
penalty kill could
be attributed to
having only one
real shutdown
defenseman in Ryan
Suter. Regardless of
the reasoning, for
a franchise known
for their defensive
prowess, the team will
have to improve in this
area if they hope to
make an extended run in the playoffs. (72)
Prediction
If the Wild can straighten out their goaltending, this team can have
a special year. With the development of Granlund and the addition
of Vanek combined with the top guys of Parise, Koivu and Suter, the
Wild will land a spot in the playoffs. If you want a team that could
be a surprise contender for the Stanley Cup, this team could be it.
Scoreboard
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Playoff Finish Conf SF Conf QF DNQ DNQ DNQ
REGULAR SEASON 43-27-12 26-19-3 35-36-11 39-35-8 38-36-8
POINT TOTAL 98 55 81 86 84
SHOOTOUT RECORD 9-8 4-2 11-9 3-5 5-7
GOALS SCORED 207 122 177 206 219
GOALS ALLOWED 206 127 226 233 246
POWER PLAY % 17.9 17.9 15.1 18.2 19.1
PENALTY KILL % 78.8 80.7 82.1 82.8 82.7
Mikko Koivu
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images